Locomotive boiler



March 2 1926. 1,575,073

" J. L. NICHOLSON LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 15, 1922 Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,575,013 PATENT OFFICE.

J'OI-Im LUTHER NICHOLSON, OF CHICAGQIILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LOCOMOTIVE FIRE- BOX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LoooMorIvE 301mm.

Application filed May 15, 1922. Serial No. 560,904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. NICHOLSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and for Locomotive Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the adaptation of the so-called Nicholson thermic siphon of Patent No. 1,337,720 to locomotive fire-l boxes in which anthracite and semi-anthracite coal is burned. Such fireboxes are typified by the width and length of their grates, grates of large size being resorted to by reason of the fact that anthracite coal burns with a short flame and that so far as the radiant heat value of the fuel is concerned the radiating surface is virtually restricted to the area of the grate. It is of utmost importance that the crown sheet and the inwardly inclined side sheets of the firebox,

as well as the back end, shall receive as much as possible of the radiant heat from the burning fuel on the grate. As there is no flame body to deal with, unless a large admixture of bituminous coal is used, it has never been found advantageous, but rather disadvantageous, to equip these extremely wide fireboxcs with brick arches, the latter having the effect of blanketin a large part of the crown and side sheets rom the radiation of the fire. So it happens that little improvement has been effected in locomotive boilers having extra width and \Vootten type fireboxes, notwithstanding the general recognition of the need of improvement if they are to be brought up to the efiiciency of ordinary bituminous and oil-burning fireboxes typical of the greater number of existing locomotives.

The invention of Patent No. 1,337 ,7 20, towit, the siphon equipped firebox has demonstrated fuel savings ranging from 15 to 525%, largely by reason of the positive forcand-aft circulation of boiler water which the siphons promote throughout the boiler. The purpose of this present invention is to atford the same or commensurate savings upon railroads using anthracite and semianthracite fuels.

To such ends, I reconstruct or equip the wide type fireboxes, identified with anthracite fuel, with several of my thermic siphons positioning them, and taking advan tage of their shapes, in such manner as to Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a wide firebox boiler embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a plan view of the firebox with the top wrapper removed and the lower half of the firebox broken away to disclose the interior thereof ;Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are like sectional and plan views of a \Vootten firebox of the combustion chamber type, with my equipment of ther-' mic 'siphons.

The locomotive boiler fireboxes herein depicted are of the VVootten type, but represent all anthracite and semi-anthracite tireboxes; to all of which it is possible to apply this present invention. I

The familiar parts of the firebox may be pointed out as follows: 2, 2 are the side sheets which at the top slant inwardly, and join the crown sheet, 4 is the flue sheet,

the lower part ofwhich is commonly termed the throat sheet of the firebox. The boiler barrel, 5, is of a common type, likewise the shell, 6, which encloses the firebox proper. The base of the firebox is formed by the mud-ring 7. It has not been deemed necessary to show the firebox grate which generally conforms to the shape of the mud-ring and constitutes the bottom of the firebox. The parts S, S appearing in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are the typical hollow water walls commonly called Nicholson theriuic siphons, but occupy unusual positions in the firebox'in that instead of being disposed in vertical planes, they are disposed in planes inclined thereto at an angle approximating 45. In this case the siphon necks S extend through the flue sheet of the firebox at points near the middle thereof and from such pointthe body of each siphon is inclined upwardly and outwardly. At the top the siphon merges into or joins the inclined portion 2 of the side sheet 2, substantially at right angles thereto, the circulated water and steam'being delivered into the side water legs.

Obviously by this equipment I increase the radiant heat absorbing surface of the firebox to the extent of the surfaces afforded by the siphons. The water flowing into the siphon from the lower part of the boiler is rapidly heated,'much of it is converted into steam and a rapid circulation is promoted. This circulation by reason of differences of temperature in the water at the top and bottom of the boiler extends the full length of the boiler with improvement in the heating value of every square foot of heating surface in firebox and flues.

I now call especial attention to Fig. 3 and the special advantage which I gain from the peculiar triangular shape of the siphon. From Fig. 3 it must be apparent that the rearwardly diverging lines of the two siphons have the effect of exposing the whole crown sheet of the boiler tothe radiant heat from the burning bed of fuel on the firebox grate. This is of the utmost importance where anthracite coal is burned.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate an anthracite burning firebox equipped with three of my siphons. The outer siphons S are substantially identical in shape and are disposed in substantially the same angular position as those shown in Fig. 1. The middle siphon S is of a peculiar form which is especially adapted to the combustion chamber 8 of this firebox. Its height is equal to that of the combustion chamber. It occupies a middle position therein and extends longitudinally nearly to the rear end of the crown sheet. By preference I provide the middle siphon with a wide intake throat, S, flanged outwardly and joined to the bottom 8 of the combustion chamber just as the top flanges of the siphon are joined to respective side sheets and crown sheet.

The details relating to the juncture flanges and those relating to the direct support of the siphon flanges by the several rows of stay-bolts will all be comprehended upon examination of the aforesaid Patent No. 1,337,720.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A locomotive boiler firebox of the anthracite burning type, in. combination with a pair of substantially triangular thermic siphons therein, each of said siphons being disposed in planes inclined from the vertical and drawing water from a water leg of the firebox and delivering the same into the upper part of a side water leg of the firebox, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. A locomotive firebox of the wide type having a crown sheet, side sheets.,and portions extending between the side sheets and the crown sheet, a pair of relatively flat siphons inclined to the vertical, having intakes at the throat of the boiler and outlets in the sheet portions connecting the side and crown sheets, said siphons being spaced apart so that the crown sheet is exposed to the radiant heat of the fuel bed.

A locomotive firebox of the relatively wide type having a crown sheet of relatively large radius, side sheets and portions connecting the side sheets and crown sheets in combination with a pair of relatively flat siphons inclinedto the vertical, having intakes at the throat of the boiler and outlets substantially centrally located in those portions connecting the crown sheet and side sheets.

4;. A locomotive firebox of the wide type having a crown sheet, side sheets and portions extending between the side sheets and the crown sheet, a pair of relatively flat siphons inclined at substantially45 to the vertical, having intakes at the throat of the boiler and outlets in the sheet portions connecting the side and crown sheets, said siphons being spaced apart so that the crown sheet is exposed to the radiant heat of the fuel bed. i

5. A locomotive firebox having a com bustion chamber as a part thereof and including a crown sheet, a flue sheet and in combination with a substantially vertically disposed water circulating and steaming element opening at its lower end only through the bottom wall of the combustion chamber and having a portion which extends rearwardly-and upwardly and Which opens through the crown sheet, the forward part of the water circulating and steaming elements being spaced rearwardly of the flue sheet.

6. A locomotive firebox having a combustion chamber as a part thereof and including a crown sheet, a flue sheet and in combination with a substantially vertically disposed water circulating and steaming element opening at its lower end only through the bottom wall of the combustion chamber and having a portion which extends at an angle rearwardlv and upwardly and which opens through the crown sheet terminating forwardly. of the rear sheet,

and the forward part of the water circulating and steaming element being spaced rearwardly of the flue sheet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of May, 1922. JQHN LUTHER NICHOLSON, 

